Cold Case Advocacy Resources
When I speak with homicide victims’ families, one of the most frequent comments I hear is that do not know where to turn for help or what resources are available to help them. For example, a common question asked is what resources and funding are available for cold case investigations. I put together the below resource page to assist families and other advocates who work with these families.
Legislative Advocacy
There may come a time in the case advocacy that you need to develop a petition to try and push for changes in local or state laws. It can be confusing to know where to start. Below I share some tips and examples to help get you started.
Homicide Victims’ Family Rights Act
Fundraising and Grants
Often, families must foot the bill for specific fundraising needs to get the word out about their loved one’s case. Whether for billboards, missing posters, or DNA testing, it can be overwhelming to start a petition on your own. Below are resources to help you get started.
Support Services for Families
Freedom of Information Act (FOIA)
Help law enforcement identify perpetrators of violent crimes, and unidentified remains
New York State Cold Case Investigation Units
Legal and Investigative Support Organization
Cold Case Research Articles
- National Best Practices for Implementing and Sustaining a Cold Case Investigation Unit
- National Archive of Criminal Justice Data
- MURDER MYSTERIES-2010: While the homicide rate has declined in most of the United States, police have failed to solve 185,000 homicides since 1980. An investigation into why more killers are getting away with murder.
- What we know about the increase in U.S. murders in 2020
- Solving Cold Cases Using Modern DNA Technologies
- Expert Panel Issues New Best Practices Guide for Cold Case Investigations - Police Chief Magazine
- Responding to Homicide: An Exploration of the Ways in Which Family Members React to and Cope With the Death of a Loved One
- The Impact of National Institute of Justice’s Solving Cold Cases with DNA Program | National Institute of Justice
- When Police Fail to Solve Homicides, Families Carry the Weight
- Exploring the familial impact of cold case homicides
- The Importance and Impact of Cold Case Units | National Institute of Justice
- Notes from the Field: A Multijurisdictional Team Moved Cold Cases to the Front Burner | National Institute of Justice
- Colorado’s Cold Case Task Force: A Blueprint for Improving Cold Case Investigation and Developing Trust between Co-victims and Law Enforcement - Police Chief Magazine
- Sick and Grieving: The Toll of Unsolved Murders
- Exploring Cold Case Homicide Survivors’ Perceptions of and Relationships With Law Enforcement
- The experiences of homicide victims’ families with the criminal justice system: an exploratory study
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